I originally bought this book when it came out in 1999 and actually spoke with Mr. Peter Levinson putting him on to several contacts when the book was in preparation. I have not chosen to send in my review until now after having reread the book several times.

Harry James was a phenomenon in the music world: a musician who reached the pinnacle of success in record sales, popularity with the masses, stardom in the glory days of Hollywood musicals and longevity in the big band arena long after the hay days of the big bands. He was a child prodigy, mastering his instrument, the trumpet, at a very early age of fourteen. In two years he was on the road with territory bands and at twenty he was leading the top big band trumpet section in the country with the Benny Goodman band. When he formed his own band at twenty three he already had a body of recorded jazz work equal to all the trumpet giants of his era. He had the blues soul of a Louis Armstrong, Mugsy Spanier and Bix Beiderbecke but because he reached real commercial stardom based on commercial ballads, and, he was WHITE, many of the so called jazz critics of the day demeaned his jazz work and dismissed all his later work. If one traverses the jazz shelves of the local libraries one will be hard pressed to find many references to Harry James listed among the elite jazz icons in any number of jazz histories as reviewed by current so-called jazz critics. These wet behind the ears critics continue to believe you have to be BLACK to have any credibility in jazz. Similarly, one does not see the name of Stan Kenton or Artie Shaw mentioned as much or ever as one sees the names of Basie, Fletcher Henderson or Chick Webb. The truth is, as Gunther Schuller, the noted music historian has noted, Harry James took the jazz trumpet to a new level never before reached in his era or even after. He HAD the blues soul of Louis Armstrong and others but possessed the brilliant and unsurpassed technique of a Rafael Mendez, that earlier giants like Armstrong, Spanier and Beiderbecke could only have dreamed about. Couple that with his turn to hit commercial instrumental-vocal ballads and moderate swing in the early '40's and the subsequent financial rewards, the critics literally turned on Harry James. That is especially disheartening in light of the body of commercial junk Armstrong recorded for literally the last twenty five years of his life and even Miles Davis, with his excursions into so-called jazz rock and fusion, but they never got the critical arrows fired at them as did James.

The truth is that Harry James was the number one icon to all the trumpet stars who rose with him and for decades after, such diverse talents as Maynard Ferguson, Clifford Brown, Doc Severinsen, Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis, Arturo Sandoval, Wynton Marsallis and dozens of others. The "real" critics like Schuller, Leonard Feather and George Simon all agree that Harry James was truly a one and only jazz-big band-trumpet "super star". I first heard him at age seven when an older cousin played Harry's hit recording of "The Flight Of The Bumblebee" for me. I was dazzled and had my parents start me on the trumpet. He was my idol then and some fifty plus years later still is.

What can you say about Harry James and his band that has not been said time and time again, year after year, generation after generation? Harry James is the name synonymous with the trumpet. He inspired more trumpet players than any living musician with his brilliant technique, soulful balladeering and high powered jazz solos backed by a sometimes beautiful orchestra complete with strings and most often with a thundering, swinging jazz band. This collection is one of the best available showing the many moods and persoalities of the Man With The Horn.

For those who thought Harry played to the more commercial sensibilities of the audience one need only listen to his sensitive and plaintiff rendition of "Lover Man". That cut alone is worth the price of the album. Add to that some of the best most swinging versions of "Blues Like" and "The Jazz Connoisseur". It's easy to see why Harry James' career was so long and successful and his recordings remain in demand.

This compilation includes some of the best big band recordings of any decade and it certainly comprises some of the very best renditions of classic big band hits ever recorded. This great and swinging version of the Harry James James band, vintage 1959-1964 represents Harry at his very best.

To all those who ever believed Harry to have "gone over to the commercial side" in the '40's and never gone back to jazz, this CD should be an ear opener. To those of us who have followed the incomparable career of the "Greatest Trumpet of the 20th Century" it is not surprising that the James Band underwent a complete transition long about 1957. Having newly reorganized his band he hired top arrangers like Neal Hefti, James Hill, Ernie Wilkins, Bob Florence and Bill Holman to reconstruct the fabled James book with new dynamic arrangements, but still keeping the James standards in there too. The results were a Basie like, but James distinct powerhouse aggregation that was second to none.

For anyone devoted to the big band sound, this CD does not disappoint. It swings all the way. The sound is superb and except for the facsimile "live crowd" on several tracks it is just about perfect. Harry James went on to draw the big crowds and the big bucks well into the '70's and early '80's until his death in 1983 at 67. On his last gig he played to a full house at the Universal Amphitheatre just 11 days before he died of cancer.

This compilation came out in 1999, the same year the top selling James biography, TRUMPET BLUES, THE LIFE OF HARRY JAMES, by Peter J. Levinson was published. It is a compilation of some of Harry's top selling singles which just happened to include some fabulous vocals by Helen Forrest, one of the many top vocalists who recorded with the legendary trumpeter.

Harry James was, without question, the undisputed king of the trumpet and the most commercially successful big band leader of the '40's, '50's, '60's, "70's and early "80's. As a trumpeter, he was without peer. Long an admirer of, but unlike, Louis Armstrong and Mugsy Spanier, James had an unmatchable mastery of his instrument, having studied long and diligently with his trumpet playing dad, Everette. Tutored in all the repertoire of the world's great trumpet players, James was a virtuoso at the age of 14. At 16 he was on the road with territory bands playing the lead book. At 20 he was hired as the lead and jazz chair with the Benny Goodman band. At 23 he was leading his own big band. In his brilliant jazz soloing, James incorporated the basic early blues style of Armstrong, Spanier and Bix Beiderbecke with a dazzling technique. He went on to win the "Jazz Trumpet" and "Band" category in the DOWNBEAT and the METRONOME magazine artist's polls for a number of years. He was the idol of such later diverse talents as Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinsen, Miles Davis, Arturo Sandoval and Clifford Brown. He was the star of his band with all his arrangements built around his incomparable trumpet style. Starting out as principally a hot jazz band he could not get bookings at top hotels and supper clubs that favored quieter "sweet" bands. He then developed the philosophy to always keep his music "danceable". James selected a favorite Judy Garland ballad, "You Made Me Love You", and it became a mega hit in 1941. From there on the James star rose to unprecedented heights in record sales and films becoming a bigger and longer lasting big band attraction than his other top peers: Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Woody Herman and Artie Shaw. In the mid fifties James went back to a more Basie styled jazz band, hiring many of the Basie arrangers, to build a blues oriented big band that played concerts, television specials, colleges, jazz festivals and many world tours.

This album gives the uninitiated listener a cross section of James' versatility as a leader, stylist and writer-arranger. His own composition, "Trumpet Blues" is extrordinary in it's power, musicality and variations,a true classic. "James Session", another James original, hearkens back to Benny Goodman's "Sing, Sing, Sing". A real barnburner! All of these are 1955 recreations of the note for note originals first cut in the '40's. Several others, "Blues On A Count" and "Barn 12" are from the late '50's. "Ciribirbin" is the ballad version of his famous theme song. Many of his later recordings featured the jazz version of the theme. All in all, this is a great "teaser" album for the neophyte James fan. The sound is great!

For the James devotee or "new fan" I would recommend Harry James & His Orchestra, STRICTLY INSTRUMENTAL (Memoir 534), Harry James THE SILVER COLLECTION (Verve 823229-2), Harry James JAZZ MASTERS 55 (Verve) and Harry James ONE NIGHT STAND (Collectors Choice). These four albums will give the listener some of the best of Harry's great trumpet and big band recordings.

I have owned this CD compilation for exactly two years and it is still one of my family's all time favorites. What can you say about "Gentleman Jim Reeves" that has not already been said? No male country singer before or since could stroke a lyric with his great mellow baritone voice like Jim Reeves. It is a misnomer to call him just a "country singer" as he crossed over into the pop area time and time again with his inimitable versions of current hit songs and older classics. It is truly a shame that there is no one in the country genre today who even comes close to the Reeves style and presentation. If you can listen to one of Jim's ballads and not become emotional then I question whether you have blood coursing through your veins.

The sound quality is excellent due to a great remastering job. A major portion of the credit for the beauty, musicality and richness of this compilation is due to the beautiful arrangements many of them done by the legendary backup quartet, the Anita Kerr Singers. There has never been a classier, more gorgeous blend of voices in the history of recorded music and they, in combination with Jim Reeves, are unbeatable. My particular favorite cuts on this CD are "He'll Have To Go", "Am I Losing You?", I Guess I'm Crazy" and "Is It Really Over?". They are not writing beautiful songs like that anymore either, sad to say.

Look, all you Metropolitan Opera wannabes, could any of you cut this material when you were fifteen? Did any of you have the natural God given voice this girl has had since she was twelve? To compare her performances with the the grand dames of opera, all of whom are at least thirty something and much older, is ridiculous and makes you all look like you're on a sour grape binge! Give credit where credit is due! This girl has set an extremely high standard for young teen female singers of today. Look what the likes of Beonce, Brittney, Ashanti, Christina, Kelly Clarkson and the rest of the hooker look-a-likes are recording. Unadulterated garbage, and none can sing a pure tone Charlotte is not a trained classical singer, but she should be. If she is to be faulted at all it would be due to her undisciplined life style and lack of consistent vocal training. If she continues to follow that path her career will end sooner than later. Her fan base is built on the classics, light opera, show tunes and Celtic folk songs. She should stick to that and forget trying to get in the music gutter with the rest of the hip hop, rap, R&B and pop crowd unless she wants to become a sad, pathetic example of womanhood like Madonna. If she continues to smoke it is all over. Look at what a lifetime of smoking did to the magnificent instrument that was Frank Sinatra's voice. Boozing, smoking and drinking began eroding his talents as far back as 1965. From then on it only got worse to where in the 70's and 80's he was yelling and shouting his lyrics rather than singing. For the time being Charlotte is on top and in command of her awesome talents. I only hope mangagement can control her. As for the ENCHANTMENT album it is a sheer joy to hear. My personal favorites are "Carrickfergus", the "Flower Duet" from Lakme, "The Prayer", "If I Loved You" and "The Laughing Song". Bravo!

Having followed the musical development of Charlotte Church since her initial recordings at twelve to the present day it blows my mind that we have this 17 year old "gift" on the music scene today. Her naturally beautiful voice is a wonder to behold and her choice of musical repertoire is a compilation of the very best music in all genres: classical, religious, Broadway and Celtic folk. That such a young and gifted vocalist can perform the likes of "Panis Angelicus", the "Flower Duet from Lakme", "The Prayer" and the "Habanera" with such maturity, clarity, range and power is astounding to say the least. It is reassuring, too, that not all teen age vocalists want to emulate the pathetic rantings of Brittney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Beonce Knowles. One can only hope that Charlotte Church will take care of her voice (quit the smoking) and stick to the formula that made her a star in the first place. Hopefully she will continue to train with good vocal coaches and not "dump her classical repetoire" for bad pop or worse yet, R&B. If she stays on track there will be no limit to her future in music.

BRAVO! BRAVO! What more can be said to describe Arturo Sandoval's historic recreation of the most significant trumpet artists of the 20th century? From Bix's "At The Jazz Band Ball" to Rafael Mendez' dramatic "La Virgen De La Macarena", from Harry James' beautiful "Man With A Horn" to Maurice Andre's brilliant "Concerto In D Major", Sandoval has not merely copied notes but he has captured the essence of each of these 19 featured artists/stylists.

It is rare that you find, in one trumpeter, the ability to have total technical command of his/her instrument in the classical mode and also possess the ability to play and interpret written and free form jazz. Add to that the ability to be an outstanding big band lead trumpet and high note specialist and you have a small handful of trumpeters: Arturo Sandoval, Harry James, Doc Severinsen and Alan Vizzutti.

This album should be a grammy award winner and also be in the collection of every lover of the trumpet. Arturo Sandoval has created this labor of love and it begs only one thing, "Encore! Volume 2." Five Stars!

Dick Bobnick, Burnsville, Minnesota

My five star rating is for the film itself, not the quality of the DVD transfer. This film is a true classic and though it has some script and scene flaws it still exemplifies the kind of film that Hollywood "used" to make so well: Strong believabe plot (single mother yearns for success in the theatre and will do just about anything to achieve it), Sudden romance that gets in the way of career goals, sub plot involving a black domestic with a daughter who has serious identity problems, sudden fame and fortune and ever degenerating family problems and finally realization that fame and fortune are empty achievements when family and love is sacrificed. This film closely parallels star Lana Turner's own private and public life, at the time, and was a better screenplay than IMITATION. That fact might be the main reason she was chosen for the role and the film scored so
big at the boxoffice.

In addition to the glitzy cast, Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee and Robert Alda, relative newcomers Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner round out an impressive cast. This undoubtedly was Turner's biggest and most successful role, revitalizing a waning film career. The film, under Ross Hunter's direction, will show younger audiences what "real glamour" and "star power" is all about. Lana was the epitome of the "star", always carried herself like a queen and commanded the attention on the screen in every scene she was in (Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz note). The sets, wardrobe, jewels and makeup are sumptuous. The romantic interludes suggest rather than hit you in the face, graphically. The last thirty minutes of the film will leave the most hardened viewer emotionally drained. My family has seen it countless times, we enjoy it each time and are tear filled at the end. The lesson it conveys is timeless and the film exemplifies great movie making of a bygone era magnificently.

Dick Bobnick

I am a Roman Catholic and I understand the whole, lengthy and deeply exhausting investigative process surrounding beatification and canonization. I also know that non Catholics and non Christians don't understand it and may even think that the Church arbitrarily elevates anyone it wants to Sainthoood. This film, "The Third Miracle", does a fairly good job exploring the canonization process in a feature film. Granted, times and themes have changed since "The Song Of Bernadette" won the Best Film Oscar in 1944 exploring the "Marian Miracle" theme, but it is reassuring that this type of screenplay still makes for a moving and haunting film. Sadly, the film did not get a lot of promotion or ballyoo even though it was marvelously produced, had high production values and featured superb performances by Ed Harris, Anne Heche and a host of other notable supportng players. Ed Harris is truly one of the screens most riveting actors and even his smaller screen parts are unforgettable for their realism, intensity and strength. Anne Heche is perfect as the wayward, doubting daughter especially in her meetings with Father Shore.

My only criticisms, and they are mild, involve the smoking, drinking clergy portrayed and their seeming love of socializing and the "good life". Also, the ending was too unexplained and it left you somewhat dangling as to how Roxanne acquired her child. Was she married? To whom? Was the child adopted? Where was the husband? It would seem that Father Shore and Roxanne would have had something more profound to say to one another after such an emotional and harrowing experience.

In summation, many believers and non believers, those of strong faith and those who have doubts about their beliefs, will take something different away from this film. I would only add that we will never understand God's ways. To those who believe no proof is necessary. To those who don't, all the proof in the world is irrelevant.

Dick Bobnick